The present invention relates to a firefighters coat having an environmental seal, and more particularly to a firefighters coat which is especially adapted for use by crash rescue personnel so as to enhance their ability to fight aircraft fires and the like. In these fires, there is the threat of exploding chemicals, burning jet fuel and other searing blasts. Crash rescue personnel often must walk into very high temperature environments for extended periods of time, and require a very high level of protection.
A particular problem exists at the interface between the lower edge portion of the coat and the pants of the firefighters suits. It is necessary to provide an environmental seal at this location to prevent penetration under the coat of radiation heat, convection heat, gas vapors, steam and other debris. The problem of maintaining an effective seal is exacerbated by the tendency of the coat to rise up when the arms are lifted or when the firefighter bends over, thereby tending to cause the seal at the interface between the coat and the pants to be broken.
It is therefore a principal objective of the invention to provide a firefighters coat which provides an effective environmental seal at the interface between the coat and a cooperating pair of pants, and which will successfully maintain a seal at the interface even when the firefighter lifts his arms or bends over.